AustLit

'The future of war-torn Cretacea hangs in the balance, in this exhilarating finale to The Deadlands series.

'Having dealt the Carrion Kingdom a devastating blow, the heroic outcasts return home to face the herds that cast them out. But Eleri’s treacherous brother is now Lord of the Battlefield, and the outcasts are condemned to die as traitors. Meanwhile, an Army of Beasts is marching towards the Mountain Kingdom, hellbent on revenge. With enemies on all sides, how will the exiles survive long enough to convince their kingdoms of the real threat, and prevent a massacre?' (Publication summary)

'As bloody battle rages on between the two surviving dinosaur kingdoms, Eleri and his fellow outcasts, newly exiled from their herds, are searching for evidence to prove a mass conspiracy―a conniving cabal of carnivores have manipulated the herbivore kingdoms into war, so they can feast on the slain. But after their temporary home is discovered by a vengeful pack of raptors, the exiles must flee and soon find themselves trapped inside the Fire Peak: the volcanic heart of the dreaded Carrion Kingdom.

'Before they have a chance to escape, they discover a cavern of imprisoned herbivores, who are being picked apart―literally―one by one. Can the outcasts stage an elaborate heist to free the prisoners and gather proof of the Carrion Kingdom’s vicious plans in one fell swoop?' (Publication summary)

'Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in this action-adventure middle grade debut series by Skye Melki-Wegner about five outcasts―and former enemies―who are the only hope to save their warring kingdoms from impending doom.

'"My favorite middle grade book of the year.” ―New York Times-bestselling author Amie Kaufman

'Battle rages between the dinosaur kingdoms of Cretacea.

'When the Fallen Star struck, it brought death and despair, ash and toxic rain. But some dinosaurs survived . . . and were changed. Their minds grew alert. They learned to speak. To dream. To wage war.

'As the two remaining dinosaur kingdoms fight for territory, Eleri, the disgraced son of a prince, is exiled from his home for saving an enemy soldier. Banished to the merciless Deadlands, a terrifying desert full of tar pits, poisonous gas, and ruthless carnivores, he must join forces with a group of questionable allies―including the enemy soldier he saved―to avoid becoming prey.

'When Eleri and his fellow exiles discover the horrific truth behind the war, the unlikely heroes must do all they can to save their kingdoms from a lurking predator. . . and a secret plot that might destroy them all.' (Publication summary)

'Red sky at night, sailor’s delight.

'After their mission in London, Nomad, Riff, Phoenix and Orbit are back at HELIX, training to master their magic. But things have changed.

'Nomad’s secret is out. Her peers know she is a Witness; a sorcerer with the rare ability to read others’ magic. This causes ripples at HQ, especially when it means that Steel, the most popular cadet in her class, is no longer the centre of attention.

'But there are greater threats than new rivals. When the cadets are sent to New Zealand to investigate a top-secret case, they find themselves in more danger than they bargained for.

With no one to trust and time running out, it’s a race to stop the Inductors before they have enough power to destroy HELIX for good.

'Red sky at morning, sailor’s warning . . .'

'Natalie Palladino was a normal fifteen-year-old, at a normal school, about to face a normal maths test. Now her codename is Nomad, and she's training to become a secret agent for HELIX. No one can know that sorcery exists. No one can know that HELIX protects humanity from the Inductors. And no one can know that Nomad is a Witness, with a dangerous magical gift. The Inductors are hunting her. If they find her, they will kill her. But there's a traitor inside HELIX, and only a Witness can identify them. The problem is, Nomad hasn't mastered her powers. She can't levitate, fight or wield magic like her fellow recruits. If she's the only hope to stop a sorcerous bomb being detonated, the world is in trouble. The eleventh hour is coming . . .' (Publication summay)

'Chester is on the road, searching every town for clues about his father and why he disappeared.

'But when he's caught accidentally – and illegally – connecting with the Song as he plays his beloved fiddle, Chester is sentenced to death. Only a licensed Songshaper can bend music to their will. The axe is about to fall . . .

'But there is someone else watching Chester. Someone who needs his special talents. Who can use him for their own ends. And who knows the secrets of The Hush, where there is no music, only deadly Echoes who will steal your soul.

'Susannah is that someone. The young captain of the infamous Nightfall Gang, Susannah has plans for Chester. Finally, she will have her revenge.' (Publication summary)

'Danika and her crew of refugees finally reach the Magnetic Valley. Will it be the safe refuge and land of freedom they had imagined? When a runaway girl is shot down before their eyes, Danika and her friends realise that this new land is no paradise. They must try to fit in at all costs – even if revealing their secrets will mean a death sentence.

The conclusion to the Chasing the Valley trilogy will reveal explosive surprises and terrifying new dangers.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Danika and her crew of escaped refugees are seeking the safety of the Magnetic Valley – and trying to evade Sharr Morrigan, the king's most lethal hunter. But the borderlands they must cross to reach the Valley are smugglers' territory: lawless, wild and steeped in ancient magic. When one of the crew is badly wounded, Danika turns to the smugglers for help – and accepts a bargain that might prove deadly.

'It is Lukas, however, who hides the most dangerous secret. What has he seen through the eagle's eyes? The answer can be found in an alchemy charm and a smuggler's tale, and will lead Danika and her friends to an electrifying, unputdownable showdown. (Publisher's blurb)

'Escape is impossible. Escape is their only hope.

'Set in a land where magic can be terrifying, Chasing the Valley combines the friendship and camaraderie of Ranger's Apprentice with the hardship and survival of The Hunger Games - with spectacular results.

'Danika is used to struggling for survival. But when the tyrannous king launches an attack to punish her city - echoing the alchemy bombs that killed Danika's family - she risks her life in a daring escape over the city's walls. Danika joins a crew of desperate refugees who seek Magnetic Valley, a legendary safe haven. But when she accidentally destroys a palace biplane, suddenly Danika Glynn becomes the most wanted fugitive in Taladia.

'Pursued by the king's vicious hunters and betrayed by false allies, Danika also grapples with her burgeoning magical abilities. And when she meets the mysterious Lukas, she must balance her feelings against her crew's safety. Chasing the Valley is the first book in an epic trilogy of magic, treachery and survival. ' (Publication summary)